To Go the Distance
by Stephen Ratliff
Summary: Marrissa Story #2, First Adventures Era. Marrissa and three others tell the tale of how she got her first command and how her parents died.
1. Chapter 1

Title: To Go the Distance

Author: Stephen Ratliff

Contact: stephen

Series: TNG, Marrissa Stories vol 02

Codes: adv

Rating: [G]

Summary: Marrissa and three others tell the tale of how she got her first command and how her parents died.

Dedicated to my younger brother Phillip.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

This is a complete revision of "Enterprized" and "Battle For Bajor" (itself a revision of "A Gul's Revenge"), containing none of the original text. It's told from the perspective of four different characters, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Gul Ducat (not to be confused with Gul Dukat), Lieutenant Markovic, and Marrissa, an about to turn twelve girl on the Enterprise.

Originally, "Enterprized" was the introductory Marrissa story, being the first one I wrote, back in 1993. I freely admit that it was bad. Even after three major revisions it was still bad. It also was my first work, so I guess that was to be expected. It is hoped that this replacement will improve on that. Of course, this is also my first attempt at first person, so it may still have some problems.

My concept behind the Marrissa stories is quite simple. I am trying to show the journey of a young girl from the time she grew up on the Enterprise-D until she takes command of her own Enterprise, similar to works like Horatio Hornblower. At this time, this has been mostly accomplished through the use of the five eras that I rotate in working on. The first of these eras, Marrissa's First Adventures covering Marrissa's time on the Enterprise-D begins with "The Field Trip" and continues with this story. Other eras include "Lieutenant Picard," "The Stargazer Missions," "The Endeavor Missions," and finally "The Last Romulan War." At the publication of this work, I have written more than 30 Marrissa Stories.

I'm not the only one who has done so at this point. Anne-Lise Pauch was the first to join in, with "Generations 2: Generations Ahead." Thomas Keeler has written several works in the post Last Romulan War era. Bart Fargo a.k.a. Pete Plum has written a few more parody type works. Adam Cadre wrote "Dark Marrissa: Master Builders" which is as dark as I've seen. David Hines has self inserted himself into the Marrissaverse. Michael Wallen a.k.a. Rottweiler has written a couple, and become a collaborator on a couple more. And the newest guy on the block, David Brinks, debuted his first work last September. I'm quite happy with them all, even if not all of them get considered to be part of my canon.

I continue to write Marrissa stories, with a large number of them in various status on my hard drive. However, I don't get as much time as I used to, so they're going slower. I hope to get out at least three this year and more in the following year.

As for now, it's time to go back to when Marrissa was not yet twelve, when Deep Space Nine was still new, and Captain Jean-Luc Picard was in his seventh year commanding the Enterprise. It's time for a young girl to break out of the shadows and her shyness into command for the first time . . .

Stephen Ratliff

Roanoke, VA

August 2003.

* * *

**Prologue**

The Enterprise is a cursed ship. You don't believe me? You believe she's a legendary ship whose adventures are praised by many races. You're no Cardassian.

For Cardassians, our first encounter with the Enterprise was with NCC-1701-C. For the first four years of the First Federation War, she was the terror of all Cardassia. Once that ship joined the battle, we never won. Over a thousand ships were destroyed by that ship. Some Guls even took to leaving the battle when she arrived. That was the type of terror she inspired.

Fortunately, she disappeared midway through the war. The Klingons say she was destroyed saving one of their colonies from Romulans. No less than two dozen Guls claim otherwise. Still, even without the Enterprise, the Federation was winning our on again off again war. It wasn't until shortly after the Federation announced that the third Galaxy Class Starship would be named Enterprise that the final cease fire was signed. I believe that the possibility of facing another Enterprise ended that war.

Since the Enterprise-D was commissioned she's foiled at least five Cardassian plans I know of . . .

Of course I have something against the Enterprise! What Gul doesn't? If it weren't for the Enterprise and that little girl, Marrissa, I'd be a hero, conqueror of Bajor, and in charge of Central Command if not all of Cardassia. I'm Gul Ducat, damn it, not an invalid confined to this asylum.

* * *

**Chapter One**

If you had told me when I took command of the Enterprise-D that the most enjoyable time of the day for any of my days would be an hour that I spent talking to a young girl, I wouldn't have believed you. However, after two hours talking to Admirals about our recent spotting of the Enterprise-C along the Romulan border, a shift where the red alert alarm went off accidentally seven times, and the usual paper work, an hour talking with Marrissa about school and her various projects becomes quite appealing.

I've been mentoring Marrissa for over a year now. Knowing that she tends to be shy most of the time, now, I'm amazed that she was able to approach me about becoming her mentor. She's the only one to ever ask me directly. I could not say no to her. True, it's an hour out of my day, but it's been time well spent.

Marrissa is a talented little girl, just short of her twelfth birthday. Recently I arranged for her report on Quantum Filament movement to be submitted to the Vulcan Science Academy Journal's Young Scholar's edition, an issue with papers by various children under the age of 15. This year, Marrissa will be the youngest and only human published in that volume. She should be proud of that accomplishment, and more so, that of the paper. It's rare that someone that young comes up with such an original theory and supports it so well.

Though she's got quite a bit of scientific talent, and could go far in the field of quantum physics, that's not where this young girl wants to go. If it was, I'm sure I wouldn't have been pursued to be her mentor. Marrissa wants to be in command. She's got the mind for it, but she has to get over her shyness. To help with that, Counselor Troi recently recommended that Marrissa shadow me for a day. While I'm not usually eager to let children on the bridge, after some thought, I decided to offer the opportunity to Marrissa.

It was the day we set out on our mission to intercept the Enterprise-C. Marrissa took the term shadow literally. We began with the morning meeting in the observation lounge with our daily meeting. A meeting that Marrissa spent most of seated on the edge of her seat, her hands gripping her PADD until her knuckles were white.

On any other ship, you can count on a daily routine, except in extraordinary circumstances. On the Enterprise, a routine day is extraordinary. Commander Riker was discussing our bridge commanders' rotation and how recent transfers had resulted in several officers hitting Star Fleet's maximum time in command for a given week, when the call came in from Admiral McGuire.

I should make some things clear about the Admiral. McGuire expects her orders to be followed exactly, with no deviation until the enemy is encountered. She will quote at least two regulations in her orders, and if those where not followed when the mission was over, you can expect her to file charges. It has long been my personal opinion that McGuire is a prime example of the worst kind of Admiral.

"Incoming call from Admiral McGuire, Starbase 375," interrupted the young ensign that Riker had left in command of the bridge.

"Put her on the observation lounge view screen, Ensign," I said, turning around to face it, and noticing that Marrissa had slid back out of the way, and was in the process of moving to an unobtrusive spot. It didn't take long for the Admiral to appear. "Admiral McGuire, what can I do for you."

"Star Fleet requires the Enterprise's immediate departure to the encrypted coordinates that I'm sending now. You will be required to travel under strict subspace silence. Furthermore, you will be required to initiate saucer separation before reaching the Cardassian Border, per Star Fleet Regulation 201 E, as said mission is regarded as one to which civilian population on board would be inadvisable."

"Understood, Admiral."

"You are to intercept and if possible recapture the ship designated as NCC-1701-C from the Romulans. We have reason to believe that the said ship is heading toward Cardassia. We require you to bring your whole command crew for potential commanding and supporting officers on the said vessel, as we believe that the recent commissioning of four Galaxy Class vessels has stripped your ship of adequate secondary officers."

She was right. The Enterprise had lost 40 command line officers to those ships. Normally it wouldn't have been a problem, the Enterprise could always be assured of transfers of good personnel, but the fleet was on a month's transfer freeze in the aftermath of a scandal in Personnel, and the next Academy Graduation wasn't for another month. This mission was coming up at the wrong time.

"Due to the sensitive nature of this mission, I am ordering the full briefing on the situation to be restricted to those in the room with you now. I also remind you of Regulation 201 F. Admiral McGuire out."

"Commander Data, please see to the immediate implementation of subspace silence," I said. This was a mess. Regulation 201 dealt with all aspects of saucer separation. As such, my officers and I are very familiar with it. Section F, however, was going to cause problems. It had just limited my choices to those fully briefed on the mission, and now, only my command staff and one young girl were allowed to be so briefed. "We have a problem, ladies and gentlemen."

* * *

When the Captain said that I would have to command the saucer section, I thought it had to be some sort of a big joke, but the Captain is not known for joking. The whole idea is crazy. Put an almost twelve-year-old girl in command of a saucer section containing more than over 400 people? Once more, that girl being me, I know I don't have the training or knowledge to command. The Captain may be my mentor, but he's done nothing to prepare me for this. In fact it has to be as strange idea to him as it is to me. Little girls do not command starships.

But if you think I was going to say no to my first chance at command . . . I may be shy. I may be quiet, but I am not timid, and I don't turn down challenges. This was going to be a big one. The Captain was leaving me with one Lieutenant to serve as my First Officer, or as he liked to call it, my "Number One" and a bunch of non commissioned officers. In twenty-five hours, the saucer section will be mine to command. I hope I don't mess up.

* * *

I have to say that this is one screwed up ship. I've just learnt that I'm to serve as First Officer to the commander of the saucer section in fifteen hours. As the Enterprise's Acting Head of Stellar Cartography, I have to say this is unusual. It's been two years since I've logged an hour on the bridge, back when I was still on the command track. What's even more unusual is who I'm seconding. I'm told that Admiral "Rule Book" McGuire is why the saucer section is going to be commanded by young Marrissa Flores.

McGuire is one Admiral who needs to go into early retirement if not a court-martial. She is the reason I had to transfer to Science, after disobeying her orders and saving her ship. I know it doesn't sound fair. I do love my job in Stellar Cartography though, it's just a shame that McGuire ended my chance at my first love of command. I hope her orders don't result in Marrissa losing her chance as well.

Marrissa is one of my students. I teach an advance Stellar Science course to ten children on the Enterprise. I'm glad that Counselor Troi arranged for me to teach it. The students are a joy to teach, and are full of ideas. Marrissa is the second youngest in the course, and deserves to be there. She's not without her faults though. She doesn't speak up in class much, and she can't keep a paper under a word limit. You'd think you were trying to pull her teeth when you try to get her to defend her own work, in class. Recently the Captain arranged for the best of her papers "Theory of Galactic Quantum String Movement" to be submitted to the Young Scholar's Edition of the Vulcan Science Academy Journal. It was accepted, and praised by the editor Doctor Tisik as the most innovative and understandable theory yet proposed in the field. This was the same paper that I'd spent a whole class period trying to get her to defend just two weeks before. It wasn't until the last five minutes that she responded in class. I have to admit though that she did respond very well, behind the nervous smile and soft halting voice.

* * *

In five hours, I will turn over half of my starship and forty percent of my officers to a girl who was not even born when I lost the Stargazer. It is perhaps the most difficult thing I've ever done. Marrissa has no experience and scant training. I've told her that she should rely on the training of those around her, and err on the side of caution, but I'm not sure how much of an impression I made. She's going to be walking on a tight course. Under any normal circumstance, she would not even be on the bridge. However, orders from an Admiral combined with the normality of the Enterprise generally result an abnormal situation. She's been briefed as well as possible, but will it be enough? The worry will keep me up late until we reconnect, I'm sure.

I've provided her with as able of a crew as I could. Lieutenant Markovic may be a Scientist now, but he would have been the commander of the saucer section if McGuire hadn't thrown in that last command. The rest of her crew is the Enterprise's second string team, which sounds better than it is. Until last week, many of them would have been fifth and sixth string. Still, we only accept the best officers on the Enterprise. I'm sure they'll do fine. I wish I could say the same about my hopes for the state of my quarters. I have to be insane to let a eleven-year-old girl take them while I'm away with the stardrive section.

* * *

_Author's Note: I have recently discovered that the scene separators got lost in this story when uploaded to . I am currently working on fixing that._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The center seat on the Enterprise's bridge is large and rather intimidating. I had never really looked at it before I entered the Bridge to take command of the saucer section. Commander

Riker was still there, waiting for me.

"Are you ready for this, Marrissa?" he asked.

"As ready as I can be, sir," I replied. I tried to sound confident, I really did, but my voice trembled, still, and I ended it with a nervous laugh.

"Don't worry about being nervous," Riker advised, as he lead me to the center seat "It's perfectly normal, and it's generally a good thing. Just listen to your crew, and you should do well."

"Aye, sir" I responded. This wasn't going to be easy. I'd be lucky if I got through the saucer separation without peeing my pants.

"Miss Flores, you have the saucer section, per Captain's orders," Riker said, turning toward the battle bridge turbolift. "Good Luck."

I'd need it, that's one thing I was sure of. As I looked at that center seat, I imagined it swallowing me. The aft turbolift door opened, revealing the Lieutenant who would be my First Officer. I was not going to greet him any place other than from that center seat. So I quickly sat down. My feet didn't touch the ground. I was very out of place here.

* * *

I have to admit that I was worried about how Marrissa would act on the bridge. I should have known better. After all, the shy quiet girl wasn't going to suddenly going to develop into a giggling little girl getting in everyone's way. I knew she was nervous. The slight nervous laugh that seemed to be appended to every sentence gave that away. However, I had to admire her attempt make-believe everything was perfectly normal.

"Lieutenant Markovic, is taking command of the bridge always this nerve wracking?" Marrissa asked as I took the First Officer's seat.

Okay, maybe she wasn't trying to make-believe that everything was perfectly normal. "I'm not in the center seat, Marrissa," I said. "I never have been, so I can't compare."

"Battle Bridge to Main Bridge, prepare for Saucer Separation," Captain Picard's voice said.

"Are all stations ready for Saucer Separation?" Marrissa said, picking up her cue. As commander of the saucer section, she had some checks to do.

"Engineering reports all Jefferies tubes and turbolifts have been sealed," a crewman at the aft Engineering Station reported. "Saucer power distribution systems have been rerouted to saucer power systems."

"Sickbay is ready. All tactical systems on-line," Tactical said.

"Captain Picard, this is the Main Bridge, the saucer section is ready to go," Marrissa reported. She seemed to have gained some confidence.

"Begin saucer separation on my mark," Picard's voice said. "Mark."

From the Battle Bridge, reports came in.

"Docking clamps released."

"Reducing warp power to throw saucer section clear."

"We are now clear of the saucer and free to maneuver."

"See you at DS9, Marrissa."

As the Stardrive streaked off away from us, Marrissa stood up and adjusted the solid black jumpsuit she was wearing. "CONN, set a course for Deep Space Nine," she said. "Tactical, please keep an eye on the Cardassian Border. I have reason to believe it might become active soon, and I want advanced warning. Mister Markovic, you have the Bridge. I'll be in the Ready Room."

* * *

As the Stardrive turned away, I watched the saucer disappear. When you leave even part of your ship behind, you leave part of your heart with it. Normally, I leave one of my best officers in command, and I assuage my fears with my confidence in their talents. I wish I could do the same this time.

* * *

I barely made it into the Ready Room and the Captain's Head. I'll have to make a note to myself not to drink a large glass of strawberry juice before taking command. I wanted to make a good impression by staying in the center seat for a while, and that glass made me have to retreat instead of charge.

* * *

The search for the Enterprise-C didn't take long. There are only so many routes that a starship can take from the point she left Romulus toward Cardassia and not be spotted. Most of them involve passing though the Mc Allister C-5 Nebula in order to get into Cardassian space itself. That's where we headed. Admiral McGuire's projections said we'd probably arrive there just before the Enterprise-C entered the nebula.

The Admiral was a little off. Long rang sensors barely caught sight of the Enterprise-C before she entered the nebula. The Enterprise-D had dealt with this particular nebula before. It has an intense particle flux that limits the time a ship can safely stay inside. Captain Jellico used this to his advantage at the time, planting mines up against the Cardassian ships amassed in it. It would not be an easy place to pilot though, but I trusted Commander Riker's steady hand at the helm.

The question was, where would the Enterprise-C strike? There were several Cardassian targets Celtris III was out. It was barren, though it did have a ruined outpost of the Preservers. If it weren't in Cardassian space, I'd spend my next vacation there. There were no less than five Cardassian starbases on the edge of the nebula, every one of them a choice target.

To determine that, I'd need to know what the Romulans intended to accomplish. A Romulan commander doesn't use his ship as a blunt instrument. That's more of a Klingon tactic. Subtlety is the key word behind a Romulan plan. I'm sure the Romulans could easily create a war between the Federation and Cardassia with just one Star Fleet Vessel under their control, but they've managed to get their hands on serval ships over the last dozen years and not tried this. So the question was, why the Enterprise-C? What made her so special? My crew and I have three hours to figure that out.

* * *

When I met Marrissa in the Ready Room, she seemed different from she had on the bridge. On the bridge she had been nervous and fidgety. Here, she sat comfortably behind the desk, looking over several PADDs. Some of them were the ship's schematics that I'd seen her carry before, along with some tactical studies. There were also reports on the ship's status, of course. She was taking notes. I had not expected her to take the job seriously. I know that Marrissa is a shy and serious child, but somehow I figured she'd just sit in the center seat and utter a few formulaic commands.

I deposited the shift's Bridge Log, which required her signature. She picked it up and read it all. When she was done, she spoke up for the first time since I'd entered. "Why isn't there a report on the Cardassian border status?"

It was a good question. I hadn't noticed the lack. She had ordered special attention paid toward the border. That normally would result in at least a note somewhere in tactical's portion of the log. "I don't know."

"Perhaps you could have Crewman Santos report on the observations, personally," Marrissa said. I was beginning to see how Marrissa was planning to command. He'd probably try to get out without telling Marrissa anything.

I returned to the bridge, finding that Santos hadn't departed yet, even though his relief had arrived. That wasn't an uncommon occurrence. Generally, Lieutenant Worf had his staff overlap about ten minutes or so. It allowed them to let their relief know what had been going on. "Crewman Santos," I said, approaching him. "The Captain would like to know what you observed along the Cardassian border. It seems that despite her orders to pay attention to it, your report didn't list any observations regarding it. You will stop by the Ready Room before you leave the Bridge."

I turned around and walked back to my seat, pretending not to see him look up the sensor logs of the border. As First Officer, however, you can bet that I was going to include this little incident in my evaluations. Commander Riker had told me that he expected a review from me on all the Bridge Crews by the time he got back. It was going to be lots of paper work. In any case, Santos wasn't going to get a good review from me.

* * *

On patrol of the Federation Border you see a large variety of ships. Some you expect. The Ferengi Marauders are always around, as is the constant traffic of the Federation's merchant vessels. Star Fleet keeps about five ships on this section of the border. This week they were the Arizona, the Lakota, the Malinche, the Proxima, and the Prometheus. However, every once in a while you see something unexpected.

It was too bad that we weren't at war with the Federation. The saucer section of the Enterprise-D makes a rather tempting target. Of course it would be against current Cardassian doctrine. The saucer sections, when separated, are considered civilian vessels until proven otherwise.

* * *

The Enterprise-C seems to have struck. Five minutes ago we came across a Cardassian Freighter while still on the Federation side of the border. It had been disabled and her crew left for dead with no chance of repair in time to save their lives. Its crew has been brought on board the Enterprise-D. The commander of the Freighter seems to think he saw a ghost. Apparently the Enterprise-C has a reputation among the Cardassains that I was not aware of. After a discussion with my crew I believe that the Romulans wish to incite the Cardassians into war by beginning what will appear to be a campaign of fear from the Federation.

Counselor Troi believes that this would involve attacks of increasing size, arranged so that each one would bring more fear into the Cardassians. From the nebula the Enterprise-C will likely attack target after target, retreating to the nebula after leaving its image behind for the rescuers to find.

Against orders, I have shared our mission with the Captain of the Cardassian Freighter. I hope by doing so I can stop a full scale war, even if I can't stop the Enterprise-C immediately.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

We missed the Enterprise-C's attack on the small Cardassian outpost on Lovol. The Enterprise-D stopped to render aid. Sickbay reports that Lovol suffered two hundred casualties, and nearly five hundred injured. Our stop was brief, as we soon discovered the path of the Enterprise-C. The Cardassian Freighter's crew, save the commander, stayed behind on Lovol.

Contacts with those who suffered from the Romulan attack continue to indicate that the Cardassians have a deep fear of the Enterprise-C. The Enterprise-D, meanwhile, seems to have a much better reputation. Perhaps that would be due to our stopping the renegade starship Phoenix a couple years ago in this very section of space. Based on the two attacks thus far, I believe I know where the Enterprise-C will go next.

The Cuellar system hosts a science station that Star Fleet has long believed is actually a major military base. The Phoenix destroyed its previous incarnation, and it was rebuilt very quickly, surprising for an area of space with so little to study. It would fit the pattern of each strike hitting a different type and progressively larger target.

* * *

I've just received word from Lovol, my home. My parents are dead. My parents who never harmed anyone. They were simple farmers. Attacked, killed in their prime, along with their neighbors. The Dains, makers of kanar, dead along with their children who played with my little sisters. And who killed these loyal Cardassian citizens?

The Enterprise, a ghost from our past. Oh they said it was not the current one, but the Enterprise-C, and that the current one helped the before continuing the hunt for its predecessor. But they are mad with grief and make no sense. For how could the Federation engage in such a dastardly attack and then turn around and aid it's victims?

My course is clear. War has begun, declaration is a formality for which I shall not wait. In three hours, I shall be in range of the Enterprise's saucer section. I shall have revenge.

* * *

Off duty. I'm glad I'm off duty. Even sitting in the Ready Room a Captain has a lot to do. I probably did more work there than I would have if I was on the bridge. So when I left the bridge two hours ago, I was glad to leave. Of course, laying in the Captain's chase lounge in the Captain's quarters reminds me that I can't go home and unburden myself to my parents. They're off in the Stardrive section, somewhere, along with my copy of Star Fleet Captain's Adventures #534. I suppose I could have another copy replicated, but a Captain shouldn't be reading comic books anyway.

The stars outside the Captain's window streak by in perfect parallel lines, not slanting off to the side like they do outside my window on Deck 30. Somewhere ahead of us is Deep Space Nine. I won't feel safe until we get there. Safe . . . I've always felt safe on the Enterprise before. Why don't I feel safe now?

* * *

Cardassian Central Command has sent the fifth order to help us in our tracking down of the Enterprise-C. It's been a while since I've seen Gul Evek. I'm heartened by his presence. We've dealt with Evek before. He's perhaps the most level headed Captain I've ever met. Together we should be able to first limit, and then capture the Enterprise-C. Star Fleet has deployed the Lakota and the Prometheus to guard the Federation side of the nebula that we believe the Enterprise-C is hiding in.

* * *

A streak of golden fire passed across the Captain's window, and the shields flared in a silver-blue shimmer. I was out of bed and heading out the door before the announcement was finished.

"Red Alert! All hands to Battle Stations! Captain to the Bridge! Red Alert!"

The turbolift door opened to the red tinged Bridge. I pushed my hair out of my face as I walked to the center seat, nearly falling as the ship took another hit. "Report!"

"That Cardassian Warship opened fire on us," the duty officer said. "They don't respond to hails. I ordered evasive, and called for help. We're out classed."

"CONN, change evasive pattern to Sierra," I said as the ship shook again. "Keep up our speed. Tactical, I don't intend to go down without a fight so, fire a full spread of torpedoes, and then keep them dancing with the phasers." As long as we kept up our speed, we'd stay ahead of this class of Cardassian Warship.

"Dancing?" the tactical officer said as the torpedo spread hit the Cardassian ship full on. It appeared to be somewhat battered and old. She backed off after our fire, and had to spend a little time closing back into optimum firing range. You don't fire at extreme range in warp speed battles.

"Moving. Make them move so it's harder for them to aim and close on us," I replied. I was refreshing my memory with a quick look up on this ship on LCARS. It was amazing all the detail that Star Fleet had on Cardassian Warships. For instance, this warship, the Akane, had been commissioned just after the first cease fire in the First Cardassian War. Gul Ducat was it's nineteenth commander. It has a history of over stressed port shields. Its commander was known for his tendency to over play his hand. All of this and more I'd learnt in my study of the ships along the border we traveled along. It only took me half a minute to bring the rest of the details to mind.

"Concentrate fire on the port side," I ordered. "How long to Deep Space Nine?" The Akane was closing range again.

"Ten minutes, if we can keep up the speed," the CONN officer replied.

A stern chase is a long chase, but I can handle ten minutes, I think. And as for being out classed . . . nobody told me what class I was in. "Tactical, give me torpedo control. Ops, open a channel to the Akane."

"Channel Open."

"This is Marrissa Amber Flores, commanding officer of the United Federation of Planet's Star Fleet Vessel USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D. I am ordering you to cease fire and depart from Federation space. Failure to comply will result in your destruction."

* * *

I laughed when I saw that young girl in the rumbled uniform giving orders from the bridge of the Enterprise. The bravado she displayed deserved acknowledgment, before I wiped that smile off of her face. The only reason the Enterprise was still there was because I wanted to take my time. The destruction of the Federation's Flagship (or even part of it) is something to savor. The taste of such victories are few and far between, and rarely does a war start with such a prestigious victory.

* * *

"Reply from the Akane," the Operations Officer said. "They want us to lower our shields and surrender."

"I don't think so," I replied. Even without the stardrive, the saucer still was well protected. Not in totally outclassing the old Kuberion Class Patrol vessel, but still on the good side, if I don't make too many mistakes. "Tactical, change the firing pattern to Foster. Firing torpedoes now. CONN, time to DS9?"

"Four minutes."

If I can get to Deep Space Nine, I'm free. My torpedo trick worked, at least. The Akane has dropped back, almost out of phaser range. Its shields are still up, but the port side is flickering. Tactical is getting some good hits in there. Our shields aren't in the best shape at the moment. They're at half. We're trading fire as the Akane closes once again. They're pulling along our port side.

"CONN, flip us over to the other side of the warship," I ordered, just in time. As a broad side ripped though space where we had been, we turned rose and flipped down on the other side of the ship. Tactical quickly brought our phasers to bare on the Akane's weak side.

"Thirty seconds to Deep Space Nine," CONN said.

"Cut the warp sustainers and bring us to a stop above the station," I ordered, as the Akane's shields flared and collapsed. Our own were at fifteen percent. It was close. A torpedo streaked out towards the unshielded ship at my command. Its warp drive suffered a major hit, as we both dropped out of warp. The precision line up of the warp nacelles needed for proper functioning was gone. The starboard one was twisted ten degrees off the center line. And judging from the low power readings that wasn't their only problem.

"Open a channel to the Akane," I ordered.

"Channel open."

"This is Marrissa again. Perhaps you'd like to surrender now? That offer of destruction still applies."

"No reply."

"Set the phasers for hull scoring," I ordered. I had read the full translation of the Akane's message. I'm definitely not a toothless slug. "Inscribe the following: 'Beaten by a little kid and the Enterprise's second string.'"

"Response from the Akane, they're surrendering to Commander Sisko," Ops said.

"Stand down from Red Alert," I replied. "Remain at Yellow until the Cardassians are secured. I'll be in my ready room if anyone needs me." I perhaps I can nap a bit, as there is no way I'll get back to sleep tonight.

* * *

The Enterprise-D stands at the ready off Cuellar. Gul Evek is giving us the first shot at the Enterprise-C. It's hard to sit here waiting. It gives me too much time to wonder what else is going on. Particularly what is happening to the saucer section. I hope that the run to Deep Space Nine remains the milk run that it's been for the last year.

While I have not contacted Star Fleet Command yet about the status of our mission, I have broke silence, locally, in order to coordinate with Gul Evek. Evek, in turn has brought word of a fracture in Cardassian Central Command. Part of his Central Command is preparing for war, even as we attempt to stop it. But that isn't the biggest worry I have. The Warship Akane has gone missing from her assigned post, right by the border, a section that Marrissa would pass.

In my haste to play things by the book and bring McGuire down a peg or two, I may have condemned 400 people to die, because this time I didn't stand up to my superiors when they were clearly wrong. I hope that I am wrong.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

I arrived at the Bridge just after Marrissa had retreated to the ready room. I was late because, like a fool, I'd run to my habitable battle station in Stellar Cartography, instead of to the bridge. The view of Deep Space Nine and the drifting singed Cardassian Warship told me several things. The first these of was that I missed all the excitement. Secondly, Marrissa had done pretty well in battle. The reports I got from the crewmen on the bridge during the battle just confirmed this.

When I heard that Captain Picard was Marrissa's mentor, I wondered what prompted Marrissa to chose him, that is after I finished wondering how she'd got him to mentor her. Captain Jean-Luc Picard wasn't exactly known for liking children. In fact, he was known to be quite nervous around children. Still, he'd began mentoring Marrissa for an hour every day, barring emergency, and I couldn't figure out why.

Marrissa was a budding scientist, and while the Captain does have some experience in that matter, his field is Archeology. Marrissa's interest seems to be Stellar Phenomena, and a rather obscure branch of that as well, Quantum Filament Movement. It's so obscure that when I looked up resources in order to help grade her paper, I only found three papers in the last decade on it. Interest in that field isn't what drew Marrissa to Captain Picard.

Oh, I've heard about her being trapped in the turbolift with the Captain during our recent quantum filament hit, but I'd discounted that as the reason for her choice of mentors, until now. The singed Cardassian Warship told me exactly why Marrissa had chosen Captain Picard. Marrissa wanted o command. She'd chosen mentors well, it seemed. Captain Picard must have been taking her dreams seriously, too. As I told the Bridge crew, the Captain doesn't waste time when he's found talent.

I'm going to have to talk to her about writing inscriptions on defeated enemies, though.

* * *

We were ready when the Enterprise-C arrived. She was barely out of the nebula when our first brace of torpedoes hit her. Still, she wasn't going to go down without a fight. We traded fire for more than fifteen minutes before damage began to affect us.

The stardrive's shields were down to forty percent when inertial dampeners failed on the bridge. Fortunately, there are local independent ones built into the seats on the bridge. That did not save Ensign Margaret Flores, who was standing at tactical, in the absence of Lieutenant Worf. A torpedo impacted us on the starboard nacelle, doing no real damage, but briefly causing us to jerk towards forward port. When helm corrected to turn towards the C, Ensign Flores flew over the tactical station and across the Bridge. She hit head first on the ready room door, leaving a bloody smear as her dead body dropped to the floor.

The dampeners were restored just moments later, but it was too late for Marrissa's mother. She wasn't the only loss. Once we drove the C back into the nebula, Riker, Worf, and Data lead some assault teams to take her. Our attack had focused on knocking out her short range sensors, and we had been very successful.

The assault on the C began with four teams beaming onto strategic places. This was possible due to a virus that Data had uploaded to the C, which made it possible for our shuttles to pass through the C's shields without notice. During the assault, we lost five personnel, Lieutenant junior grade George Earl Flores, Ensign T'Nor, Ensign Su'rre' Gan'rre, Crewman James Janakoski, and Crewman Polona Kurivic.

All areas of the C were taken within ten minutes. There were no enemy fatalities. Commendations for the assault planning and execution will be noted in the records of Commander Riker, Lieutanant Worf, and Ensign Hal Foster. A posthumous commendation is also being added to the record of Lieutenant Flores.

With the recapture of the Enterprise-C, I have assigned Commander Riker to command her, and dispatched the ship to Deep Space Nine. The Enterprise-D will be following in a couple days, as we are engaged in assisting in repair some of the damage that the Enterprise-C had made while under the control of the Romulans.

* * *

It only took about two hours for Commander Benjamin Sisko to arrive on the Enterprise saucer section and enter the ready room. I knew why he was there. I also knew that this meeting was going to be critical to my success as a commanding officer. I was so nervous.

"Commander Sisko, welcome to the Enterprise," I said, coming around the desk to shake his hand. "I assume you're here about Admiral McGuire's message."

"I am," Sisko said. "The Admiral tells me that you refuse to surrender command to Lieutenant Markovic."

"I refuse to obey an order of an officer given outside the chain of command," I stated. "Captain Picard briefed me on exactly who to and when I could give up command, and Admiral McGuire's order is two hours too late."

"How so?" Sisko asked.

"Admiral McGuire is in the Operations department, in charge of ships on the Romulan border," I replied, moving back to sit behind the desk. "She sent the Enterprise on the mission, with orders to send the saucer to Deep Space Nine. Once we arrived at Deep Space Nine, we where done with that mission."

"So you're now under the ship in port rules," Sisko said. "Deep Space Nine comes under Admiral Necheyev of Exploratory, a different chain of command."

"Exactly," I replied as Sisko took a seat in front of the desk. "So, she has to have Exploratory's sign off to change this vessel's command. And I want you to send off this report of Captain Picard's to Necheyev before she realizes that." I handed over the report, and Sisko took a moment to page through it.

"McGuire could be in big trouble with this," Sisko said after a moment. "I think you should retain command until this is solved, or Captain Picard returns. You may be needed to testify, and a command makes you a legal adult in the eyes of Star Fleet."

"Really?" I said. I hadn't known that.

"Don't let it go to your head," Sisko replied, standing up. "I'll add that as my recommendation to this report. I better get talking to Admiral Necheyev."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

The Federation will pay for the day I spent on Terok Nor, or as they now call it, Deep Space Nine. First, he wouldn't meet me in Operations, forcing me to spend my time waiting in Quark's bar.

I used to like Quark's, back when I was a Glinn, serving under Gul Dukat. His place has gone downhill. No kanar, or yamok sauce, anymore, and the patrons have no respect for a Gul's rank. No Gul should ever have to put up with riff raft telling him that he was beaten by a bunch of kids.

I swear, I will have my revenge on this place, and that girl. No one makes fun of me and lives.

* * *

Counselor Troi has just given me a problem, in the form of Marrissa's parent's wills. It seems that I have custody until other arrangements can be made. In the early days of space travel among the stars it was not uncommon for a child to become a ward of the ship, as Marrissa is now. The choice died out for the most part with the introduction of the warp five engine, which made travel back to relatives a possibility. If it happens today, it's usually due to some serious problem with the remaining relatives.

The will specifically forbids me from placing her with relatives. I have no idea what to do with Marrissa. I consider her to be a talent to be nurtured. Like I saw in Wesley Crusher, I see in her a potential to be a great Star Fleet Officer. There are few similarities between the two, but both have natural talents which Star Fleet would be fools to pass up. With Wesley it was his engineering ability. Marrissa is an abysmal engineer, but behind that impish smile of hers, occasionally concealed by shyness, lurks tactical instinct in abundance. That instinct cannot be learned, only nurtured and grown.

* * *

The Enterprise-C arrived under the command of Commander Riker just an hour ago. A half an hour ago, Commander Riker visited Marrissa in the Ready Room. He did not resume command, nor did he order someone to take command of the saucer, so we're still under command of young Marrissa Flores.

According to my lesson planner, today is Marrissa's twelfth birthday. Her friends have been looking for her all day, but only she's allowed on the bridge, and she's the only one inside the Ready Room.

Inside the room alone, crying over the parents that she's just lost.

I cannot console her. She remains inside that room since Riker left. All I can do is make sure that the saucer holds up to the standards that she set on that first shift in command. Her reprimand may not hold weight, but mine does. When Captain Picard does arrive, he will not regret his choice of commander for the saucer.

Marrissa doesn't deserve this.

* * *

My parents are dead. I'll never see them again. Mom will never tease me about marrying my best friend Jay. She'll never sing that ridiculous rhyme about pushing a baby carriage. She'll never brush my long blonde hair those hundred strokes so it shines perfectly. She won't help me pick out the perfect outfit.

Dad will never call me Princess again, or take me to play in one of those outrageous fairy tales on the Holodeck as the Fairy Princess. He'll never help me with my homework, or wonder just how I can accidentally cross-link an ODN conduit with an EPS power tap. He'll never teach me how to fight or tickle me until I pee again.

I can feel my tears running down my face again. The LCARS display says it's been just forty minutes since Commander Riker told me. It seems like much longer, as I slump in the Captain's seat. I hear a sob escape from me as I idly spin the chair so I'm looking out the window. I can see myself reflected in it. My once pristine jumpsuit is rumpled, and the top is unzipped down to my breasts. I can see my white bra peaking from the opening. My face is stained with tears.

I don't want to face anyone. I want to stay here and cry. I want someone to hold me.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

The ninth order stands ready to aid in my vengeance. Gul Dinar has agreed that the attacks on Lovol demand a response, and our response shall be the destruction of Deep Space Nine and the saucer of the USS Enterprise. Captain Picard shall arrive to discover his crew's families spread among the ruins of Terok Nor.

We depart within the hour, and we shall not stop until our task is complete.

Robert has always looked older than me. He is older, but not as much as he looked right after he's been tending to the vines all day. The time difference between the Enterprise, is nine hours, which made my morning tea my brother's after dinner wine.

"Jean-Luc, it has been a while. What brings you to call home suddenly?"

"It hasn't been that long, Robert."

"The Last time you called, it was to congratulate me on my daughter's birth. She took her first steps last month."

"I really should call more often." Looking past Robert I could seen the blond top head of my niece just darting behind his chair.

"You should. So what brings you to call home this time? Need more brotherly advice?"

"Actually, yes. I need to know what to do with Marrissa."

"I was under the impression that Star Fleet Captains needed no assistance in bedding the ladies."

"Not that kind of advice. Marrissa is a 12-year-old girl I've been mentoring who has just been orphaned. She's now ward of the ship and it's my responsibility to find her a home."

"And you want my help. I know nothing about this girl." Behind Robert, Jean-Luc could see Rene darting in, in an attempt to capture Theresa.

"Marrissa is the only child who has ever approached me to serve as their mentor. She's quite gifted in science. Rene still has his Vulcan Science Academy Journal subscription?"

"Yes, twice monthly issues, plus nine specials this year. There was a rather interesting article on grape hybridization a couple months ago that Rene pointed out to me." The mention of the Journal apparently pulled Rene out of his chase, and the top of Theresa's blond head once again peaked out from behind her father's chair.

"Marrissa is going to be published in the Annual Young Scholar's Issue. Her paper on Quantum String Distribution got in. She's also got a quite good tactical mind that I've been helping mold. There are times which I actually find myself looking forward to spending that hour with her."

"You've been mentoring her for a while now, I would guess. What is she doing now?"

"I imagine she's enjoying the big chair."

Robert's face went into an expression that I'd rarely seen on him. His eyes widen and his mouth opened slightly. "You left her in command of your starship ..."

"Only the saucer and only because Admiral McGuire left no other choice but to do so. It seems that she did a good job though. I've yet to rejoin the saucer which I sent to Deep Space Nine, but all reports say she's acquitting herself well. I understand she managed to get there successfully despite some problems along the way. I am rather worried about the state of my quarters and ready room, though."

"Jean-Luc, remember the time when you took me to that bar near Star Fleet Headquarters when you were in command of the Stargazer?"

"Yes, and I'm sorry about the bar fight."

"Don't be. I actually thought it was rather fun, though I wouldn't have let Father know that. He was rather put out at the state that we came back to the vineyard. Plus, it was my bachelor's party. I should have expected you'd arrange something like that, even if it took a decade to forgive you for it. But that's not why I brought it up. There was a Captain in the bar when we came in, I don't think I ever heard his name, but he was lamenting that one of his officers had just accepted a transfer where he wouldn't be able to use his natural born talents. I remembered it because at the time, I thought you were wasting your talents in the vineyard."

"I was an indifferent vintner, Robert."

"Yes, you were, but you did it better than most of the poor souls I've had to hire before and since that time. I've since come to realize that not matter what your talents in the vineyard, you have even more as a Starship Captain. I just have to talk to the Admirals you've hooked on Chateau Picard to see how much. This girl, Marrissa, she has that same talent that you do?"

"With time and the right training she will."

"She won't get that in a vineyard, Jean-Luc. I have no doubt that she could be happy here, a while, but from what you've told me, this girl needs to be in the stars. Keep her there, even if you have adopt her yourself."

"Adopt her, myself? Robert, you know I'm awful around children."

"Rene doesn't seem to think you are, and I doubt that Marrissa shares that evaluation, mentor or not. Think about it, Jean-Luc. And when you're done thinking about it, Marie and I would like for you to come and visit for a while again. Theresa needs to meet her uncle."

"I'll take the idea under advisement. Anything I need to know from France?"

"Your stables have stolen my son for the winter again, and Mikey thinks he just bought a couple triplet crown contenders. We've sold out of the '49, to your admiral friends. They have no palette at all. Other than that, everything is perfectly normal."

"Then I'll sign off, and I promise to contact you again soon."

"Good Night Jean-Luc. Try not to get yourself killed."

It was my turn I guess. The Cardassians opened fire on Deep Space Nine and the saucer with barely any warning. We were lucky that our shields were up to test our repairs. I ordered red alert, but I turned off the call to the ready room first.

Marrissa had been sleeping there quietly when I'd checked in at the beginning of the shift. She was technically in command, but given her recent loss, I didn't think it wise to call her into battle. The young girl had done well the first time. Some of that could be attributed to beginner's luck, of course.

... I was counting on that luck carrying over to me on my first battle in the center seat.

We did start out better than the other starship near the station. The Enterprise-C got a glancing blow to it's port nacelle as it's shields were coming up. Fortunately it wasn't a fatal blow. Having those shields up was an advantage. No one expected the attack. The five Cardassian vessels had been approaching Deep Space Nine under the supposed intention of getting shore leave.

Their actual intention appeared to be turning all Star Fleet Vessels and perhaps the station itself into slag. The one ship then detailed to tail the Enterprise saucer certainly gave everything. We were bouncing back and forth as torpedoes from below and phaser from above impacted our shields.

I was knocked out of the center seat and on to the floor as I ordered return fire. I stood up and continued to direct the fight, until a big blast hit, and I found myself flying towards the ready room, impacting the padded wall next to it. That's all I remember from the battle.

I was asleep when the battle started. The shaking of the ship woke me up by throwing me into the Captain's desk. From there on the floor I saw the Cardassian ship firing on the Enterprise. I stood up as quickly as possible, the bruise forming on my forehead was joined by one on the back of my head, as I hit the bottom of the desk. It did not slow me down.

When the door to the bridge opened up, I could tell we were not doing well. To my right I heard a thump, and Lieutenant Markovic landed on the floor next to the forward turbolift. I strode to the Captain's Chair as everyone took their places from where they'd been thrown. It did not take me long to figure out what was happening from the various displays. There was a weak signal coming in that I thought I knew.

"Helm, new course 120 mark 52, best speed," I ordered. I had to give orders in a rapid pace. We were drifting. "Engineering, see if you can tie the Captain's yacht impluse engines into our controls. If you can't, get someone down there so they can be manually fired. Tactical, change firing plans. You're hitting their strong points, not the weak ones."

Everyone seemed to pause for a moment at my orders. "I mean now. Helm, in two minutes I'll need you to come about to 82 mark 110, and incline us on an aft pitch of 30 degrees." Finally my orders started to be followed, as the ship shifted, passing up over our Cardassian opponent, and drawing them briefly into the Enterprise-C's sights.

"Tactical, pattern Sierra, helm, switch to Riker Beta. Hold torpedoes until just before we come about." The patterns were ones that I'd seen in Commander Riker's post action report from the last Borg Invasion. I had been working my way through all the Enterprise-D post action reports that the Captain would give me.

The Cardassian that was following us was finally getting fewer hits than we where getting on him, and unlike his hits, ours were mostly focused on his weak spots. He was on the wrong side to hit ours. "Helm, stand ready, Tactical, full spread of torpedoes on my mark targeting their warp fork."

"Ops, tight beam transmission towards 81 mark 110," I ordered. "Please stand ready to engage." I counted it down. "Three. Two. One. Fire Torpedoes. Helm, change course now." As we turned the signal I'd spotted earlier grew stronger. "Engineering, is that tie in ready?"

"Awaiting your orders. Shields are down to fifty-two percent."

We could handle it. The Cardassian slid past us briefly with our sudden course change. As he returned to our tail, his fire became more effective. The pitch I'd ordered was presenting more of our aspect towards the warship, which I'd just discovered was our old friend the Akane, with inscription still preserved. "Tactical, bring the forward phasers to bear. Make sure to give a couple pointed hits over were we left that inscription."

"Sir, I'm having a hard time keeping the pitch, and we're getting more fire," the helmsman said.

"Trust me," I said. I had to sound confident. That was what a Captain was supposed to be. Fortunately no one was looking at my shaking hands. It should be easier the second time. Right? "Ops, magnify on our forward path 1000 times." Growing in the distance was an Nebula Class Starship's deflector dish. "Make that 250." There, the full ship now was on screen.

Ops adjusted the mag as she drew closer. I could see her phasers begin to glow. "Helm, follow our pitch on my mark. Ops, I'll need your finger on the yacht's engines." I took a deep breath. "Now!"

The yacht's engine's killed our forward motion as our regular engines sent us up above the on rushing USS Roanoke. "Aft view!" Behind us the Akane tried to slow to avoid ramming into the fire and fully charged shields of the Roanoke. Her forked tail swung around just in time to be blackened by 5.2 megawatts of pure Star Fleet phased energy.

"Signal our thanks to the Roanoke," I ordered, breathing a sigh of relief. I don't think anyone realized what we'd just done. The Akane drifted behind us, powerless, as the Roanoke passed her on her way to join the fray around Deep Space Nine. "New course, 90 mark 20, half impulse bring us around gently. Tactical, keep a sharp eye out for incoming ships. We should be clear for now."

For the next hour we practically drifted among the proto-cometary bodies around the edge of the Bajor System. It wasn't like we could leave. The saucer could sustain warp velocities imparted to us, and sometimes pick up a few extra fractions of a warp factor, but we couldn't pass the speed of light threshold without the Stardrive.

When the Stardrive finally arrived, the battle was sealed, and I brought us down from red alert. I thanked the bridge crew before retreating to the Captain's Quarters. They gave me an undeserved round of applause.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

As my ship drifted powerless around Bajor's star, I could take it no more. It was bad enough that a little girl had defeated my ship once, and engraved that phrase into my ship's hull, but the second defeat was an injury which I could not bear.

I stood from my chair and began pacing the bridge. The orange-lit smoky haze on the bridge caused me to cough. The Chief Engineer had managed to get a remote out and was sending it around the ship to see our damage.

"Sir?" my second officer interrupted my pace. "Message from the Order Gul. All ships to strike colors."

We were surrendering. We couldn't be surrendering.

"Central Command has ordered us to withdraw and apologized to Commander Sisko for the attack"

We couldn't be apologizing to that weak Commander who inhabited Terok Nor. As I spun on my left foot, I caught a glance of the Chief Engineer's display.

There was that engraving we'd been given by that little girl just a couple days before.

Beaten by a little kid and the Enterprise's second string.

I gripped the command chair hard. It had happened again. The chair shifted lose under my grip.

"The Enterprise-C will tow us to the border."

I lifted the chair with a bellow of rage, and hurled it towards the words. Glinn Gusat was lucky I slipped.

Admiral Theresa McGuire was aboard the Roanoke, and I was the next most senior officer in the area, which made it my duty to charge her and relieve her of duty. I put off rejoining the saucer until afterwards, we had a docking clamp on the Stardrive section to repair anyway. In addition, if she protested enough we might need Marrissa to testify and as the saucer's commander she's legally an adult. I took Lieutenant Worf with me, and Commander Sisko asked to join me in this duty.

She was on the bridge when we found her, sitting in the center seat, against all tradition. Captain Szustakowski had been forced to take a seat across the bridge at Science One. I did not let her greet me.

"Admiral Theresa McGuire, by the order of the Commanding Admiral, Star Fleet, I am relieving you of duty and remanding you to lock up on Deep Space Nine pending trial on charges of unlawful orders, endangering civilian lives, endangering those under your command with the aforementioned unlawful orders, and inappropriate and restrictive classification of mission orders."

"How dare you," Admiral McGuire replied, standing up from her chair. "Don't think that by filing charges against me you'll get out of yours, Picard."

Commander Sisko stepped forward to stand at my left. "I filed those charges," he said, his voice low and dangerous.

"Then you'll go down as well, Sisko," McGuire replied.

I was simply amazed by the Admiral. "Admiral, I've seen too many good officers ruined by your vindictive orders. I am willing to put my career on the line if it means that no more good officers will be lost. Mister Worf, I believe that Commander Sisko has had Constable Odo arrange for Admiral McGuire's new quarters on the station. Please see that she arrives."

"With pleasure, Captain!" Worf said. Bringing Worf had been a good decision. McGuire didn't resist Worf's directions once he got a firm grasp on McGuire's left arm.

I'd assumed that we'd reconnected when Captain Picard entered Sickbay. "I see you're awake, Lieutenant," he said. "Doctor Crusher says you've been trying to finish up paper work."

"Yes, sir," I said. It was a little hard to work with one hand stuck in a pressure bandage, but I was managing. "I've almost finished with the evaluations, but I'm afraid I'm going to be unable to write up our latest commander's post action report, as I was out of it for most of it."

"I'll make sure Marrissa does it," the Captain said. "I'll be endorsing the draft of her first one as soon as she removes a few editorial comments about herself. Overall, what do you think of the Bridge Crews I left with you?"

I was silent for a moment, trying to find the words to sum it up. "They're good, for the most part. Beta Shift worked together best. All of them had some trouble at first with Marrissa being in command, of course."

The Captain's brow furrowed a bit, then relaxed. "And what do you think of Marrissa?"

This wasn't going to be easy. "She did well given that she was thrown into a situation for which she had no training for. Some of the crew had some trouble taking orders from her, but I backed her up, as her orders were sound and followed proper procedure. Tactically, I can find no other word for her performance but brilliant. Outside of battle she seems a little bit timid, and seems to prefer bringing up problems in private. She usually first double checked with me before bringing in someone for a chat, which I think was a good idea. I don't know what she said to Crewman Santos, but since she talked to him, he's been a model officer." I trailed off, lacking more to say.

"It sounds to me like you think she was a rather good Commanding Officer," the Captain said.

I had to confirm that. "She was. It's been a long time since I've served on a bridge run as well."

"I'm sure you had something to do about that as well. However, I'd also like to know what you think about Marrissa as a child. You've been her teacher longer than I've been her mentor."

This was something I felt a little more sure of. After all, I'd been teaching Marrissa Science for over three years. "Marrissa has always been a precocious yet shy child. She doesn't seem to make many friends among her own age group, but the ones she has seem to be tight ones. When I've seen her with Jay Gordon and Clara Sutter she always seems to be laughing. Marrissa is always determined. When she sets her sight on something, she'll do whatever possible to obtain that goal. Her father treats her like his little princess. She took her parents deaths hard. Marrissa spent a whole day locked in the Ready Room after Riker told her, crying until the tears won't come. She really needs a hug, but won't accept any."

"Then she shall get one," the Captain said, pausing for a moment before going on. "I talked to Ensign Guilliona. She says you did a good job in command. Commander Riker was also very impressed with what he's seen of you during the last couple evaluations. So, I looked back at your record, and after considering the incident which McGuire kicked you out of the Command Track and your actions since that, I'd like to offer you one of the Enterprise's Command Track slots."

I was greatly surprised at the offer, however, recent events left me with one option. "I'm sorry, Captain, but I'm afraid I must turn that down. I've grown used to my post and have made several interesting discoveries in the last year. It would not be appropriate for me take one of those posts at this time."

"I think it would be," the Captain said. I shook my head. "Very well, if you are sure, I will log that you were offered the slot but chose to remain in Science. I can at least rely on you to take a few shifts until those Command Track slots are filled again, I hope."

"Yes Captain," I said.

"Thank you for your time, Lieutenant," the Captain said. "I'll see you on the Bridge with those reports when we reconnect tomorrow."

I was curled up under a blanket on the chase lounge in the Captain's Quarters when he woke me up. I'd slept on it every night I'd been in the Captain's Quarters. It wasn't night time, but I'd decided to get a nap after I started yawning on the bridge near the end of Alpha Shift. I'd wondered why we hadn't reconnected yet, but Lieutenant Commander Data had sent word that the Stardrive required a minor repair after the battle before we could do so.

"Captain," I greeted sleepily. He was opening a compartment below the leftmost book case. I started to get up, letting my blanket slide down a little.

"Don't bother getting up, Marrissa," he said, standing up. "I just came to get a bottle of the '49 for a dinner on the station."

I glanced at the chronometer I'd put so I could so I could see it. "I should be getting up anyway, sir," I said, sitting up and letting the blanket slide off my chest. "Since Lieutenant Markovic is still in Sickbay I have to go get the end of shift report from the Beta Shift Duty Officer."

"You could have Ensign Guilliona handle that," the Captain said, moving over to the replicator. Guilliona was my next most senior officer. "Ice Bucket, three quarters full for wine bottle."

I stood up. "If she weren't the Duty Officer, yes."

The Captain turned back towards me as I stretched. He fumbled with the ice bucket. "Marrissa, do you always take naps in just your panties?"

I blushed and scrambled to find where I'd tossed my uniform. The Captain had given me special dispensation to wear a Star Fleet command uniform while I was in command, and I wore it as much as I could. I heard the bottle placed in the ice as I put the black uniform pants on.

"I see that life with you around is going to be rather interesting," the Captain said. "I have to go back to Deep Space Nine now, but I need to talk to you when I get back. You can remain in my quarters as long as you wish."

"Sir, before you go, can I ask what is going to happen to me now?" I couldn't find where I'd tossed the uniform shirt.

"That is what we'll have to discuss," the Captain said. "For now, though, you are my responsibility. How long that lasts is up to you."

I immediately rushed over to the Captain and hugged him, tears beginning to flow from my eyes. He lifted me so I was sitting on his desk and held me close, my head over his right shoulder. I caused his comm-badge to beep as he held me there for a bit. I don't know why I did it, but we held there for several minutes before I pulled away.

"Feeling better?" he asked. I shook my head yes. "Then I believe that you are due on the Bridge, and I have five Admirals to offer wine to." I jumped off the desk. "And you might want to put that on first." He pointed to my uniform shirt, draped over the edge of a chair.

I put on the shirt, and attached the comm-badge. "Thank you, sir," I said before I departed for the Bridge. I'd forgotten the boots.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

I entered my quarters softly as possible after the dinner. We'd gone really late into the evening. The morning would start McGuire's court-martial. Riker would prosecute, and Lieutenant Dax would defend. The Admirals did not believe that Marrissa would be required to testify. They were impressed with her tactical ability, and told me that I should do whatever I could to make sure that girl ended up in Star Fleet.

That girl was laying asleep on my chase lounge when I entered. She'd kicked the blanket off her, revealing that she'd stripped to her panties again. I put it back over her.

She looked so peaceful with her blond hair spread out like a halo as she laid on her side. Her left hand gripped the pillow gently and her right pulled the blanket closer to her neck once I'd placed it on her.

Counselor Troi had spent the afternoon talking to me about how to handle a girl like Marrissa. She'll probably be talking to me more on that subject. Both Marrissa and I are likely to demand an in ordinate amount of time from her. Even discounting her recent loss, I was the confirmed bachelor suddenly taking care of a pre-teen girl, and Marrissa was going to have to put up with me.

She continued to sleep there innocently as I made my way into my room. I sat down on my bed to remove my uniform boots. My bed appeared to be untouched since I left. I couldn't say the same about my main room. In the dim light of the room I'd seen a collection of PADDs at my desk, and the remains of a bowl of corn chips on the coffee table.

I went to take my shower only to find a tube of strawberry scented shampoo and a pair of her panties inhabiting my bathroom. There was another towel carelessly tossed on the toilet. I could see already that living with Marrissa was going to take some getting used to.

After my shower I decided to check in on Marrissa one last time before going to sleep. I returned to the main room and cleaned up the corn chips. I put a bookmark in my paper copy of the Odyssey that I found on the sofa, before approaching where Marrissa was sleeping on my chase lounge again.

I tripped over her suitcase, causing it to clatter over on it's side and waking Marrissa up. "What?" she said sleepily.

"Go back to sleep, Marrissa," I said softly. "I'm just straightening up."

"Sorry, I should have been neater," she said putting her head down and closing her eyes.

She looked so sweet, sleeping there. I almost wanted to take the little girl in my arms and hug her, wiping away the tear stains I could see on her face. Sleeping on the chase lounge couldn't be that comfortable. I would have to see about getting her a bed soon.

Where did that thought come from? We hadn't discussed what we were going to do with her yet, and she deserved some input. But still, she was my responsibility now, whatever she ended up calling me. Troi said that mentor wasn't a role too different from parent. For the first time, I thought, as the little girl stretched under her blanket, Dad might not be a bad choice.

I was back on the bridge as duty officer for Alpha shift the next day. It was Marrissa's final shift in command. She'd apparently gotten permission for her friends to watch the reconnection from the Bridge. Jay Gordon was in the Counselor's seat and Clara Sutter in the jump seat next to it. One of the more experienced pilots, Lieutenant Sinol, was at the helm.

Since the stardrive was docked at Deep Space Nine, the reconnection was going to be the reverse of the usual. Usually the stardrive mates with the saucer. This time the saucer would be the part in motion. It was a much tricker maneuver, one that I wasn't entirely comfortable with Marrissa calling. Still, I'd never even been on the simulator for it. Marrissa apparently had. In fact word had reached me that she'd spent two hours before Alpha Shift with Captain Picard making sure she could do it. Still, simulations and real life were two different things. At least it would be mostly in the pilot's hands.

"Signal from the Stardrive, Marrissa, we are ready to reconnect," the tactical officer said. The Bridge crew had taken to calling Marrissa by her first name. At first, I had felt that it was a sign of disrespect, and it might have been, before the battle. "Deep Space Nine reports we are free of traffic."

"Inform the Stardrive and Deep Space Nine Operations that we are about to begin the maneuver," Marrissa said, standing up. "Come about to 108 mark 7, thrusters only."

The young girl moved to stand next to the helm. "Activate proximity pulse." An even beep began, about two seconds between beeps. "Full stop. Rotate clockwise twenty degrees." Her young voice seemed full of confidence.

"Now reading full stop," the helmsman said.

"Rear view," Marrissa ordered. She appeared to examine the station closely. "Quarter thrusters, two second burst." The station and stardrive section drew closer. "Alter pitch one degree down."

Her concentration was evident though the stiff posture she had standing next to the helm. Save the helmsman, all eyes were on her, and I'm sure she felt them. She spotted something, and turned quickly to ops. "Warn that runabout off. CONN, forward, half impulse, take us back to where we started before that runabout crashes into us."

The runabout missed us by two meters. Marrissa was not happy. "Captain Picard is contacting Deep Space Nine Operations for an explanation and asks us to stand by."

I moved to stand behind Marrissa. "Relax Marrissa," I said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulders. "You were doing well. Once the Captain gives us the clear you can start again, and I'm sure it will be perfect." I could feel her taking a deep breath.

"Thanks," Marrissa said, looking up at me. "At least I'm not seated at CONN this time. I don't envy you, Lieutenant Sinol. You've got a tough job."

"It is what I've trained for, Marrissa," Sinol said. The Vulcan somehow made her name a term of respect, even though his voice was emotionless.

"Message from the Captain, you may make another attempt," tactical informed us.

Marrissa glanced up at me, and I took the silent message to sit down. "Okay, Lieutenant, let's try this again. Rotate two degrees clockwise, and then quarter thrusters for two seconds."

The resulting reconnection was nearly flawless.

The door opened to my family's quarters for the first time in weeks. We lived on deck 30, which is why I had to ask for another place to stay during saucer separation. It was obvious that my parents had been interrupted before they went on duty that last time. Mom's Vulcan Lute was carelessly placed on the coffee table instead of in its case.

I started crying again as I stood just inside. Behind me, the Captain placed a comforting hand on my right shoulder. It gave me enough courage to step in far enough so he could get out of the doorway. "Mom didn't put away her lute," I sobbed.

The Captain moved around me to examine the lute. "A genuine Sinol, you don't see many of these. It was your mothers?" I nodded. "Golden maple, with walnut inlays, it must be two hundred years old?"

"Almost," I said, reaching the lute to strum across it once, like I hadn't dared when my mom was alive. My tears ran down my cheeks. I suddenly turned and buried my face in the Captain's chest. I stayed there for a while, the Captain's hand gently stroking my shoulders as my tears spilled on his uniform.

I don't know how long he held me, but eventually I pulled away. I found the ancient case and put the lute away. I packed some other things up, some pictures, Dad's chess set, but eventually I couldn't stand the main room anymore, so I fled to mine. I entered the peach walled room, and found the white rabbit falling onto me off the bookcase.

The white rabbit didn't have a name. It was just the white rabbit. I used to sleep with it at one time. When I got older I insisted I was too old to sleep with stuffed animals, and told mom to take it away. She did, but somehow it found its way back to my room that night, peaking out from under my bed. That was the night before Wolf 359. I slept with it again.

Every night after I did, however, I'd give it to Mom, saying it had snuck back into my room. She then would hide it for a while and then when I needed it, the white rabbit's amber eyes would be peeking out from under the bed, around the chair, or under the desk.

I grabbed the white rabbit from where it had bounced off me onto the floor, and jumped onto my bed. I curled up around the white rabbit and began to cry again.

I must have fallen asleep for a while, because the next thing I remember, the Captain was shaking me awake. "Marrissa?" I rubbed my eyes and streatched.

"Sorry, Captain," I said. "How long was I asleep?"

"About an hour," the Captain said, as I sat up. "I finished packing the main room and your parents' room, after I checked in on you. Do you need any help with your room?"

I looked around. Most of the stuff I didn't want to keep, really. My room was kind of childish. Maybe the white rabbit, and a couple pictures, but the wall art wasn't coming with me. "Could you pack up my clothes?"

The first drawer he opened was my underwear drawer. I don't know what it was about his expression, but for the first time in a week I broke down with the giggles, and I couldn't stop. Especially after the bra. I had to run to the bathroom before they quit.

I think Marrissa was feeling a lot better by the time we got back to my quarters. She'd cried a lot during our packing. I'd been warned to expect that. I hadn't expected her to start laughing when I opened her underwear drawer, though when that bra of hers somehow shot out and landed on my head, even I had a hard time not laughing.

While we were out, I had my chase lounge replaced with a bed for her. If Marrissa continued to live with me, I'd have to have my quarters enlarged. Having her bed directly in front of one of my doors was a problem.

It was dinner time. "What would you like for dinner, Marrissa?" She was placing the crate we'd put her personal things in next to her new bed.

"I don't know," she replied. "Maybe some chicken."

"Two Chicken entree number fives," I ordered. Two plates with boneless chicken breasts, rice, and lima beans materialized on the replicator. I placed them on the table. "One glass of milk. One glass of red wine." Marrissa took a seat to my right. I sat at the head of the table.

Marrissa folded her hands, and bowed her head in prayer before she started eating. Her lips moved as she silently prayed. I believe it was the standard Catholic Grace Before Meals. She picked up her knife and fork and began to cut her chicken into bite-sized pieces.

As she cut it up, I sliced off some of mine and took a bite. I wasn't sure how to bring up adopting her. "So, Marrissa, what did you think of being in command of the Enterprise?"

"It was a lot of work," Marrissa said. "And I was always afraid I'd mess something up." She speared a couple of her pieces of chicken with her fork.

"Lieutenant Markovic seems to think you did a good job," I said, between bites. "And you've managed to create quite a stir among the visiting admirals." Marrissa had finished her chicken and moved on to her lima beans. "Admiral Necheyev wants that maneuver that you did in front of the Roanoke written up . She doesn't think anyone has ever tried it during the score of Galaxy Class saucer separations to date."

"Really?" Marrissa said, suddenly smiling. I hadn't seen that smile in a while. It was a wonderful thing to see.

"Really," I said. "In fact, it deserves a name." Marrissa's eyebrows came together as she thought of that. "Generally new maneuvers are named after their creator."

"Then it shouldn't be named after me," Marrissa said. "Jay came up with it. Clara didn't think it would work, but it was the best thing I had so I tried it."

"And it worked very well," I said. We ate in silence for a while. Marrissa was avoiding her rice. "Eat your rice."

"You sound like my father," Marrissa said in a suddenly morose tone.

It was a opening and I had no more chicken. "That brings up a point. Your parents left you in my guardianship. I have several options for you." Marrissa put down her fork, a lima bean still speared on the end. "I could adopt you and you could live here. My brother has offered lodging in France, should you prefer to leave the ship, as well."

Marrissa seemed to think for a moment. "If you adopt me, would I be able to visit the bridge again?" she asked.

"I imagine that it would be hard for me not to invite you onto the bridge sometime," I said, with a smile. "Although, you'll have to get in Star Fleet and be a bit older before I leave you in command again."

"Would I get my own room?" Marrissa asked, glancing at where her bed had been set up.

"I will get with Lieutenant Commander La Forge about rearranging the quarters," I said. I was getting the feeling that this was the opening round of negotiations.

"Can I have my friends over sometimes?" she asked.

"If you let me know before hand," I said. I felt it was time to qualify a few things. "I prefer to know who to expect when I come back from the Bridge."

"Okay," she said, before eating a few more of her lima beans. "Will you help me with my homework?"

"As much as I can," I said, raising my wine glass. "I am still Captain of this ship, and that has to come first."

Marrissa nodded, and asked nothing else as we ate the rest of the meal in silence. When we'd both finished, she picked up both our plates and took them to the replicator to recycle. She had eaten all her rice. "Can I finish reading your copy of the Odyssey?" she asked.

"Yes," I said, wondering if she'd come to a decision yet. She pulled it out from it's place in one of my book cases, and opened it to a page about a quarter of the way through.

"Okay, I'll let you adopt me," she said, kicking off her shoes as she curled up on one of my chairs and began reading Homer's tale.

**Epilogue**

We'll arrive at Earth in about two hours. The Captain and I are visiting his family to introduce me to them. I probably should call him Dad now that he's adopted me, but I don't think I can yet. I still wake up crying at night.

Before we departed the Captain and I talked a lot about how things work. I know he won't have as much time as I'm used to for me, but he's going to let me come up to the bridge every day after school. We'll talk in the ready room if he has time to spare. If he doesn't, I get to do my homework there.

I'm working on my pilot's licence now thanks to him. I've already passed the written test, so I can co-pilot with proper supervision. He told me that being a good pilot is almost a prerequisite for getting one of the coveted Command Track slots on a ship. If I work hard enough, in a couple years, he might even be able to make me an acting Ensign like Doctor Crusher's son was.

Sitting in that center seat may be lots of work, but I still want it. I might not ever be assigned as Captain of the Enterprise, but someday I intend to be Captain of my own ship, master of my own


End file.
